These book reviews have been written by Syd Jack
Unwritten by Tara Gilboy Middle Grade Publish: October 16, 2018 Twelve-year-old Gracie Freeman is living a normal life, but she is haunted by the fact that she is actually a character from a story, an unpublished fairy tale she’s never read. When she was a baby, her parents learned that she was supposed to die… Continue reading Unwritten by Tara Gilboy
“A fantastical tale with a powerful message” raves SPR. 12-year-old Jake has been suppressing his heartbreak over the loss of his mother for the past four years. But his emotions have a way of haunting his dreams and bubbling to the surface when he least expects it. When Jake learns how to take control in… Continue reading Jake, Lucid Dreamer By David J. Naiman
“Zoey’s Post-It Notes is a story about something that happened to me that I would like to share with you.” Zoey Steiner, 5th grader at Pleasant Gap Elementary. Knowing how insightful Zoey is, I thought that it was a wonderful opportunity to give her a voice and write a book about her experiences, which are… Continue reading Zoey’s Post-It Notes by Zoey Steiner and Jeff Steiner
Lizzie & McKenzie’s Fabulous Adventures: Mayhem in Madrid Dina C. Tate Children’s Books, Fantasy Imagine if all the little girls of the world looked alike. If the Same Glam Goddess gets her way, it can surely happen. McKenzie Rivers, the pint-sized daredevil, and Lizzie Sanders, who loves all things frilly, aren’t afraid of being different.… Continue reading Lizzie & McKenzie’s Fabulous Adventures: Mayhem in Madrid
Three plucky sleuths. A crumbling skeleton. A buried treasure. After six months in a new school, Sam’s finally fitting in. He’s the one kid with enough talent to hit the winning home run and bring the baseball trophy back to Haggarty Elementary. But Sam’s guardian is shipping him off to boarding school before that can… Continue reading Sign of the Green Dragon by C. Lee Mckenzie
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in… Continue reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K Rowlings
When Jon, a precocious and adventurous 14-year-old boy, encounters a sphinx on a class trip to the museum, little does he know that his life is about to change forever. Four and half thousand years ago, in ancient Egypt, an evil sorcerer captured Neb, the king’s magician, and imprisoned his soul in this sphinx. The… Continue reading The Secret of the Sphinx by Samuel Bavli
Synopsis Widge is an orphan with a rare talent for shorthand. His fearsome master has just one demand: steal Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”–or else. Widge has no choice but to follow orders, so he works his way into the heart of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare’s players perform. As full of twists and turns as a… Continue reading The Shakespeare Stealer (The Shakespeare Stealer #1) by Gary L. Blackwood
Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world. Kings fall and kingdoms totter. Tyrants ascend and terrors threaten. Betrayal beckons, and loyalty is a broken… Continue reading The Green Ember by S.D. Smith Illustrated by Zach Franzen
Personal Thoughts Synopsis A New York Times Bestseller Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be… Continue reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
There’s a monster in Alex’s backyard. He doesn’t know how it got there, but with his parents refusing to help, Alex must capture it on his own. When he does, a monster hunting Keeper comes to claim it. Alex follows the Keeper to the world of Edin, a preserve for monsters run by magic-wielders. Aboard… Continue reading The Code of Magic by David D. Hammons
Synopsis Filled with magic, thrilling adventure, and sweet romance, Elementals is the first in a new series that fans of mythology will love!When Nicole Cassidy moves from sunny Georgia to gloomy New England, the last thing she expects is to learn that her homeroom is a cover for a secret coven of witches. Even more… Continue reading The Prophecy of Shadows (Elementals #1) by Michelle Madow
Bumbling Bea Synopsis Level: 5 – 9Beatrice thinks she has no acting talent but that doesn’t stop her from auditioning for the annual middle school play. She has two missions-winning the role of Pocahontas (which guarantees her popularity with the cool kids, at least in her mind) and grabbing the attention of her estranged father.… Continue reading Bumbling Bea by Deborah Baldwin
Synopsis Piggy Sense! …. is a fun educational children’s book that will instill in children the basic fundamentals of work ethics, saving money, and spending wisely. Age Level: 4 – 11 Grade Level: P – 5. Parents will love reading this book to their children – Grandparents will love reading this book to their grandchildren,… Continue reading Piggy Sense!: Save it for a Rainy Day by Reed Moore
“Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul.” Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate. There’s plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care to never… Continue reading Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina #1) by Robert Beatty
Synopsis Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire were orphaned by a terrible fire. After that fire, they are thrust into an onslaught of miserable situations, ranging from being trapped by a group of poisonous mushrooms to steering a sailboat through a leech-infested lake during a hurricane. All the while, they are pursued by Count Olaf, an… Continue reading A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket Reviewed by Syd Jack
SynopsisProvided by Goodreads.com When Jason and his friends form a garage band, they call it “No Frills” because they want to keep it real—even when they enter a band contest and pressures to alter their image mount. Then one day, due to a close encounter with lightning, Jason’s life changes in a big way—but is… Continue reading The Next Great Rock Star! by Ann Herrick
Personal Thoughts Synopsis Smile is a graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier, based on her [the author’s] experiences from late 6th grade to middle 9th. Raina wants to be an ordinary kid. But one evening, she has an accident and seriously damages her two front teeth. After that, she has to cope with several surgeries, headgear, an… Continue reading Smile By Raina Telgemeier
From award-winning author Sharon Draper comes Out of My Mind, the story of a brilliant girl who cannot speak or write. “If there is one book teens and parents (and everyone else) should read this year, Out of My Mind should be it.” (Denver Post). Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or… Continue reading Out of My Mind By Sharon M. Draper
Peter and the Starcatchers Don’t even think of starting this book unless you’re sitting in a comfortable chair and have lots of time. A fast-paced, impossible-to-put-down adventure awaits as the young orphan Peter and his mates are dispatched to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They set sail aboard the Never Land, a… Continue reading Peter and the Starcatcher by Ridley Pearson
